Fire of Unknown Origin
by AbydosGoddess
Summary: Set at the end of The Berrisford Agenda. The story goes back and forth following Alec's life along with that of his partner in crime, a girl by the name of Embry. AlecEmbry, AlecMax ish, LoganMax
1. Chapter 1: Burnin' For You

"I'm always all right," he said with his trademark smirk and began to walk away, leaving Max to wonder if he really was all right.

"Alec," she called after him, remembering something Embry had told her. "Em wanted me to make sure you were at Crash tonight, don't ask me why I don't really want to know, but that's what she said. You'll be there?"

Alec smiled, thinking about the girl that had been by his side for all that hell. She was his savior at the moment; the only thing that got him through what Manticore had done to him. He tried; he tired so hard to keep her from that punishment. She didn't deserve it, it was his fault not hers. Alec looked down at Max, that smile still firmly planted on his face. "Yeah, I'll be there," he told her before heading out on his runs. Alec could only imagine what Embry wanted him at Crash for, he knew better that to think she wanted to talk about everything that had happened. Rachel was dead, it was over and Alec had closure. He wasn't all right yet, but he was getting there, slowly. Embry knew he wouldn't want to talk about it though, so why did she want him there?

The question bugged Alec for the rest of the day, while Embry, who had managed to con her way to get the day off, spent the day at Joshua's. "Alec okay," he asked as he sat there with his canvas. Embry walked over to Joshua and leaned against him with a smile.

"Eventually he will be," she said softly with a sigh. "Eventually."

"Embry okay?"

"You're frighteningly good at that, you know that," she said with a laugh, sitting next to him. Embry was a thin girl with pale skin. Looking at her one would think she was completely harmless. No one would guess this girl with long curly brown hair was a genetically engineered soldier. "I'll be okay too. I just," Embry paused and sighed running her thin fingers through her hair. "I hate seeing him like this, I hate it."

"You love him," he asked looking away from the paining and over to Embry.

She looked up quickly, wide-eyed as if Joshua had grown a second head. "What? No, no, well, not… not like that," she said with a sigh. Sure she had strong feelings for Alec, she always had. The man was the other half of her brain he was her best friend. Sometimes she had trouble functioning without Alec there. They were partners in crime, literally. She sighed and looked over at Joshua with a smile on her face. "Josh, Alec and I are complicated, but don't read into it more than it is all right?" She smiled and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "I gotta get goin, I'm supposed to meet Max and Alec at Crash. Stay out of trouble Big Fella," she said with a smile before leaving and heading over to Crash.

Logan picked her up from Joshua's. "You sure you wanna do this Em," he asked glancing over at the girl next to him. Embry and Logan became friends almost the instant they met. They were just that though, friends. Unlike Asha and Logan or Max and Logan there was no physical attraction there. If anything Logan was like a brother to Embry, at least that's how she treated him. "I mean this could be seriously embarrassing."

"Not as embarrassing as doing it in front of dozens of genetics specialists at a black tie party so that your "brother" won't get caught making out with his assignment in the pool," she said with a laugh, looking over at Logan with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, that does sound bad huh," he laughed. "Oh, by the way, Em. I brought my camera just for you."

"I hate you," she said rolling her eyes.

"Maybe Eyes Only should do a special-"

"Don't you even think about it Logan Cale! I will kick your ass so fast you won't even know what hit you," she said glaring at him. "Anyone brings this up, EVER, again and they die. Got it? I'm doing this for Alec."

"Because you've been head over heels in love with him since age twelve?"

"What? No. Why does everyone keep saying that? Alec is my best friend, that's all. That'd be like… like falling in love with Ben… ick. I mean no offense to Ben he obviously grew up pretty but that's not the point."

"You said so yourself though Em, you look at pictures of Ben and you see Alec. Not like Max who looks at Alec and sees Ben. So how would it be like-"

"You can shut up now Mr. Know-it-all," she said giving him a playful smack upside the head. Logan parked and they got out of the car. "You got it all set up?"

Logan smiled with the biggest smile he had in a long time. "Oh yeah, it's all set up. You ready?"

Embry rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes. He so owes me something incredibly embarrassing for this."

"I'll pass it along. All right, Max is gonna call when he gets there, and I'll have it set up. Have fun."

Embry rolled her eyes and walked in the back door while Logan walked in the front. She waited behind the bar for about twenty minutes before Logan finally smiled and everything started. "He owes me for this," she muttered under her breath.

Alec and Max walked into Crash and almost instantly the music stopped. Alec looked to Max then looked around. The place was practically empty except for Alec, Max, Logan, Original Cindy, Sketchy and Normal who all came out for the show. "Max," he said looking over at her with a suspicious look. As soon as he spoke the music started again. It started playing "Burnin' For You" from Blue Oyster Cult. For Alec it brought back memories of Embry as his "sister" Sam Lehane when he was working the Berrisford case. She listened to it all the time. Alec looked up and saw Embry standing on the bar, wearing clothes she obviously stole from Max, considering she actually looked hot. She wore black leather pants and a leather jacket with her boots and her hair was pulled back.

He stood there for a long time just watching her dance. She was singing too but he didn't notice. Alec just watched the way her hips swayed as Max pushed him up to the bar. He looked up at her and smiled. "Burn out the day, burn out the night. I can't see no reason to put up a fight. I'm livin' for givin' the devil his due, and I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you."

Alec rolled his eyes and put his hands on her hips, pulling her off the bar and taking the mic from her. "All right that's enough there missy," he said with a smile. After that the music stopped and went back to what was playing before and everyone else was allowed into the place. Alec stood in front of her, with his hands on the bar holding her in place between him and the bar. "What was that?"

"That was what you didn't see or hear apparently when you had your first kiss," she said with a teasing smile. "Her dad asked where she was and they went looking for you and they were heading to the pool and I started singing, in front of a bunch of well dressed genetic specialists. I sang Blue Oyster Cult for you, though I was tempted on REO Speedwagon. I think that one would have fit you two better," she said with a smile. Embry looked up at him, her arms wrapping around his neck with a smile on her face. "But you don't really care about that story do you? You owe me you know," she said with a smile.

"Oh, I owe you do I," he asked with a laugh. Usually, for their entire lives, with the exception of the breeding program, the two of them kept a certain space between them. Alec closed that space for the first time since they were separated as breeding partners. He took a step closer, his body just barely touching hers. "And what do I owe you," he whispered in her ear.

"Something incredibly embarrassing," she said with a smile. "I say you get your pretty little cloned ass up there and sing REO Speedwagon," she said with a smile.

"Hmm," he said looking down into her brown eyes. "I don't think so. That's not what you want." Alec smiled and leaned down, letting his lips touch her neck lightly. Chills shot down Embry's spine. He always did that to her, even when they were forced to be together he always did that. Her other breeding partner was so impersonal about it all, Alec was never that way, at least not with Embry. Maybe that's why they were separated. Embry smiled at the contact, letting her small fingers lace through his short hair. He leaned back and looked down at her before looking around the place. "It's getting kinda crowded in here," he said with a smirk.

Embry just smiled and pushed herself up so she was sitting on the bar. "Sing us a song you're the piano man," she said with a smile.

"You'll get your song," he countered before pressing his lips to hers, playfully tugging at her lower lip with his teeth.

"Alec," she said pushing him away a little. Embry looked down into his eyes and sighed. She knew exactly what he was doing. "I won't be your escape Alec. I know it hurts, I see it in your eyes I saw it when it first happened. I watched what they did to you, they made me watch Alec! Don't treat me like some dirty little whore you can take home with you," she snapped before pushing him away and walking out of the building.

See in order to truly understand what goes on between Alec and Embry one must know their origins. Embry, or X5-649 was born on July 17, 1999. Her birth is not what's important though. It was her childhood from age six until ten that really began to shape her life. It was then that she met X5-493 and 452. The three of them became very close, very quickly. 493 and 649 specifically developed a special bond. They called him Ben and 452 they called Max. It was on the night of 649's seventh birthday that's she finally got her name. "Ben," she said sitting next to him on his bed with the other children around. "That was a nice story," she said quietly. "You think we'll ever really see what's out there?"

"Someday," he told her looking at her with a smile. "You need a name." He sighed and looked at her, studying her for a few moments. "Embry." She smiled and gave him a hug. That night they stayed up when the others had gone to bed, talking about the outside world and what it would be like out there. Embry fell asleep next him in his bed, something that had happened on several occasions. As Ben began to fall asleep someone nudged him. He opened his eyes and saw Max there. She simply pointed to Embry and he sighed. He woke her up and made sure she got back to her bed before going to sleep.

That was how Embry got her name. Things went on that way at night for the next three years. Then one night in February that all changed. Embry had been in observation for three weeks after something happened that caused the death of her clone. To this day she still wasn't sure what happened. When she returned to her barracks that night she found that they were gone. Embry had heard rumors of an escape the night before but she didn't know for sure. Now she did. Ben promised her he'd take her with her, he promised her he'd take her away from this place and they'd be together, grow up together the way they had been in Manticore. Now Ben was gone. He abandoned her, so did Max. She felt like crying the whole night through but she didn't. She didn't shed a tear. Everything after that was different for Embry. She never spoke of Max or Ben again, and she willingly stopped using her name.

Three years later she met X5-494. She was put in his unit for training maneuvers. Instantly she took up the role of second in command to 494. The two worked incredibly well together. It had been three years since she had seen Ben. When she met this 494 she didn't see Ben, though she knew he was Ben's twin. Over the next five years as the two kids grew up Manticore took notice of the way they worked together. It was as if they didn't even need to speak to each other. They predicted each other's movements. In training exercises they would put 649 and 494 against each other in a battle of wit and tactics out in the field. Each time it ended in a deadlock. It wasn't until they were seventeen years old that they started working on undercover missions, only being separated when it was absolutely necessary. That's when the real trouble started. Both had completed at least four solo missions and Manticore was going to send them on a long-term undercover assignment. 494's cover was a piano instructor, Simon Lehane. They were investigating Robert Berrisford, the CEO of Mercidyne (a Manticore associate). Most of 494's contact, and 649's was with Berrisford's daughter Rachel. 649's cover was that of Simon's younger sister, Samantha. It was 649's idea to call her Sam. The story was that since Simon's parents died when he was a child his blind little sister, Samantha, went with him everywhere. No one really suspected anything out of the ordinary with the girl.

The two siblings seemed to be polar opposites. Simon was serious, quiet whereas Sam was loud and outspoken often times. This was the character 649 created with Sam. "It's just like acting 494. You remember those classes. You have to put some depth into your character or it won't be believable."

"I'm believable," he countered. "You've heard me play."

"That's not what I mean. You have to have a background, layers. People have layers. Like this Samantha, for example. I've been working on this since we got the assignment. First off, call her Samantha and you're pretty much dead. It's Sam. Secondly, lets see here, she can't see, but her brother's a music teacher so it's obvious that she'll be a music fan right? But not that classical stuff, no, she's more into the classic rock. I've been doing research. There's this band, from like forty years ago or something like that, Blue Oyster Cult. I picked that as her favorite. Anyway, you're my brother so obviously we can't get alone," she said with a smile.

That's exactly how it went too. Sam would sit by the piano with her earphones in, bobbing her head to the beat of Blue Oyster Cult or whatever she had that day. It was the only thing that she kept from the Berrisford case. 649 was able to observe a lot more than 494 since she was supposed to be blind. The one thing she didn't want to observe though is the way 494 looked at Rachel. He deserved to be happy though, that's what she thought. So 649 kept her mouth shut. Then the day came for them to complete their mission. They were told to kill both Robert Berrisford and his daughter. When she heard her orders she knew it would be impossible for 494 to go through with it. She wasn't about to betray him though. Everything went wrong that day. The brought her back to Manticore, screaming for 494, trying to get to him before they hurt him. It was too late though. They held her there watching as the others tormented 494. She screamed for them to stop, that they were hurting him and he didn't deserve it. Then it was her turn.

"She didn't know," he pleaded. "She didn't know, leave her out of this!" His pleas fell on deaf ears though. They were separated on the field. Both of them showed a drop in their performance on the field though. Six months after reindoctrination 649 and 494 for put back together as a team. Then the breeding program came.


	2. Chapter 2: Independence Day

_"Dude, who is that," Sketchy asked Alec, pointing to the young brunette that walked into Jam Pony. Alec had only been there for a few weeks at this point. He turned to look at the girl and his heart stopped, 649. She wore a pair of blue jeans, a black tank top, and her usual pair of combat boots. Alec knew that walk anywhere. He recognized instantly the way her hips swayed with each step. How could he forget? He watched as she walked up to Normal, obviously asking for a job. Jam Pony was transgenic central when it came to employment. Alec couldn't help but smile, especially at Sketchy's reaction. 649 had always had that affect on men, even the guards at Manticore._

_"Sorry sweetheart," Normal snapped at her, feigning pity._

_Alec walked over, silently, unnoticed and stood behind the girl. "Come on Normal, give the poor girl a job. We could always use extra hands around here. Besides, she's an," he paused as she turned to look at him and he smiled at her, "an old friend. Do it as a favor to me? Huh? What do ya say?"_

_Normal stood there for a moment, thinking it over. "All right, fine," he snapped. "You're in charge of showing her the ropes."_

_"Yeahsureyabetcha," he said with a smile as Normal walked away. Alec looked down at the girl who had a smile on her face and wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't explain how happy he was to see her. His partner in crime had returned to him. Oh, the mischief they'd get themselves into._

_"So Alec, who's your friend," Sketchy asked, walking up to the two of them. He looked at the girl and smiled at her._

_Alec stood there for a moment, looking from 649 to Sketchy. '_Shit, I don't know her name'_, he thought. "Sketch, this is..."_

_"Embry," interrupted, extending her hand to him. The name Alec's own clone had given her. She hadn't used it in ten years. "Embry Marshall." She shook Sketchy's hand and smiled at Alec._

_"Yeah, Em's an old friend of mine from back in the day," Alec said looking at Sketchy. "Em, this is Sketchy," he said introducing his friend._

_"Alec! Where the hell were you yesterday," a loud holler came from the entrance. All three turned and saw Max walk in, Original Cindy by her side. Max stopped and stared at Embry for a moment. They hadn't talked while Max did her second tour of Manticore, in fact Embry hadn't even seen Max since Max's escape in '09. Still they knew exactly who the other was. "Embry," she said with a shocked look._

_"Hey Max," she said quietly. There was a shot of anger that coursed through Embry upon seeing Max. Max abandoned her in Manticore, Ben abandoned her, Zach, the one who promised her so many times he'd get her out of there, abandoned her. She didn't let it show though. Things were different now, everyone was out. The only thing that really mattered to her was that 494, or apparently Alec, was alive._

_"Well, Max, I'd love to stay and chat but I gotta help out Jam Pony's newest employee," he said with a smile. Alec took her by the hand, grabbed a bike for her and some packages and they headed out. "Let's get out of here while we still can," he whispered as he led Embry away. Sketchy had gotten back to work as well._

_"So who was that," OC asked as her and Max walked over to their lockers._

_"She was in Manticore," Max said distantly. "We were close, her, Ben, and me. When we escaped... none of us realized she wasn't there until it was too late. I guess you could say we abandoned her there," Max said quietly. "I just can't believe she's alive."_

_"Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing. Let the whole world know that today is the day of reckoning. Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong. Throw that stone away, let the guilty pay, it's Indepence Day." That was Embry's job growing up in Manticore. Her and Ben worked together to make the others feel loved. Ben needed his answer, Embry needed Ben to smile. He smiled when she'd sing. Ben always had this hypnotic smile, even when he was little. It was contagious. The two would sit on Ben's bed as he'd tell his stories. "Sing us a song Em," he whispered to her. She'd sing the small snippets of songs she had heard during training. Even at the tender age of nine she had a powerful voice._

_Zach always told her that her songs gave the kids hope. She looked up to Zach. He promised her he'd get her out of there, her and everyone else. That wasn't the case though. The night was chaotic, but he made a mistake. Zach had always been perfect in Embry's eyes until that night. He made a mistake and it cost Embry her freedom. She stopped singing after that. After all there was no one to sing to. Ben was gone, nothing more than a painful memory. That's all he'd ever be as she'd never get a chance to see him again. Zach on the other hand became more than just a memory. After the fire, after the escape, after she came back to Seattle and found Alec. That was when Zach came back into her life. She was at Crash with Original Cindy when Alec walked up behind her. "So, guess who's here. Another friend from Max's illustrious past."_

_"What are you talking about," OC asked, looking over at Alec with her classic 'Alec shut up' expression._

_"The infamous Zach," Alec answered with a laugh._

_Embry almost dropped the glass in her hand when she said that. She stood, her back to where Max was and looked at Alec. Zach, here? It couldn't be. Embry didn't want to see him. She was afraid of what she might do. Part of her wanted to turn around and search him out, throw her arms around his neck and never let go. The overwhelming part of her though wanted to cut him up into pieces so tiny you couldn't even see them. She didn't have a lot of time to debate staying or leaving. She heard Max walking up behind her and she could hear Zach's voice. It was slightly different as she hadn't heard it in over ten years. Still, it was unmistakably Zach. Embry turned around slowly and looked up at him. He had really grown up, though all of them had. She didn't say anything, she just stared. For a moment she wondered if he knew who she was. "Embry," he whispered taking a step closer._

_The look in Zach's eyes broke her; cracked through the walls she had put up and caused her will to collapse. The overwhelming part of her that wanted him dead disappeared when she saw the look in his eyes. It was guilt so strong it was killing him enough already. All she could do was throw her arms around his neck. She stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity to everyone else, with Zach's arms wrapped around her. Finally she let go and looked up at him. The silent exchange between them told Zach that Embry didn't hate him. She had a lot of time to get over what Zach had done. Somewhere in her she understood that she shouldn't put all the pressure on him. He was responsible for everyone else. It just hurt that she got left behind. Alec stood by Embry's side and Zach stared at the two of them. Memories of Embry and Ben flooded his mind, even though he knew the man before him wasn't Ben. "It… it's good to see you Zach," she whispered though the words weren't entirely honest. _

_Zach smiled and he and Max sat down at the table. Max, Zach, and OC were talking and Embry was just standing there, watching. She had been silent for a long time and Alec was beginning to get a little worried. Embry never spoke of her life before she met 494, so Alec didn't know much of her history with Zach, Max, and his clone, Ben. He stood next to her, the two of them leaning on a nearby pool table. She was lost in her thoughts, he could see it in her eyes. Alec took the opportunity to move just a little closer to Embry. He placed his hand on top of hers in a comforting manner and after a moment he laced their fingers together. He was beginning to realize how painful all of this must be for her. Embry didn't say anything, she simply rested her head on his shoulders and remained quiet._

Alec stood there leaning against the bar, staring at the door Embry had walked out of. "What happened," Max asked, walking up to Alec. She looked from Alec to the door then back to Alec. "Hello," she said waving her hand in front of his face.

"I don't get her," he said with a sighed. Alec got himself a beer and looked over at Max. "Max, you're a girl-"

"You noticed, and yes, last time I checked I was a girl," she said with a laugh then let Alec continue.

"What the hell is her problem? I thought she wanted me. She always makes it seem like she wants me. So the one time I give in she runs off."

Max sighed and shook her head, looking over at her confused friend. She was quickly discovering that though Alec was quite the charmer there seemed to be one girl he couldn't charm, besides Max, and that was Embry. "Alec, she doesn't want sex. This isn't Manticore. You two aren't breeding partners anymore," she said with a sigh and cringe thinking about the two of them. "She wants _you_ Alec, not sex. Well I mean she probably… that's not the point." Max sighed and looked over at Alec. "You know there's a difference right?"

"Yes Max," he snapped at her. Alec looked towards the door and sighed. He set his drink down along with some money to cover it. "I gotta go," he said with a sigh. He looked back at Max. "She's hard to catch up with when she's pissed," he said with a laugh. He headed out of Crash, running back towards his place where he knew Embry would be. Sure enough when he walked in he found her curled up on the couch. Alec stood in the doorway staring at her for a moment before he sighed and walked into the house, closing the door behind him. "Em," he said with a sigh. She didn't answer so he sat down next to her. He pulled her hair back and looked down at her. "Em, you wanna tell me what's wrong?"

"No," she answered simply, without looking at him. She was angry with him, treating her like she was just supposed to be some escape for him. It hurt her. What hurt her more though was through the whole ordeal he pushed her away, pretended that she wasn't there for every second of what happened.

"Em, come on," he said with a sigh. He looked down at her and picked her up. Alec sat on the couch and pulled the girl close to her, whether she wanted to or not, wrapping his arms around her and letting her rest against him. "You're not mad at me for what happened at Crash. I know you better than that. So why are you mad at me," he asked with a sigh. He looked down at her and watched her close her eyes. He hated seeing her like this, so quiet like that. It was killing him inside. "Em, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she said quietly, curling up closer to him. She was clinging to him the way she had the first night of the breeding program when they were together. Nothing happened that night, that isn't to say it didn't on others, but not that first night. Embry just curled up in his arms for the hour or so she was kept in his cell. Alec looked down at her and sighed, kissing the top of her head. "I was there Alec," she said softly. "I was there for the whole thing and now… now you're treating me like… like Max, like I don't understand, but I do understand. Alec I watched them torture you. They forced me to watch what they did to you," she said sitting up and looking into his eyes. "You're pushing me away and… and I can't let you do that. You're the only thing in my life that's ever been constant Alec, the only thing I've ever been able to rely on. Ben abandoned me, Max abandoned me, Zach did too. But you, you were always there, I could always count on you and now you're pushing me away."

The last week or so had been stressful on the both of them and it showed in the way Alec was acting towards her and the fact that Embry had tears in her eyes. Embry was one of the strongest women Alec had ever known. He had only seen her cry once and that was when they were carrying him away after the explosion. She was talking so fast, he could hear the fear, the anger in her voice. Alec watched her for a moment after she stopped talking and sat there in silence. What could he possibly say to her? She was right; he was pushing her away because he stupidly thought no one would understand. With his lightening fast reflexes, before any normal person could see, but Embry could, Alec leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. His right hand caressed her face, pulling her into his kiss. His eyes closed slowly. It was the only possible way to really speak to her at that moment and he knew it. Surprisingly almost the instant his lips touched hers he felt her lean into it, giving back to him what he gave to her. Alec felt her hands cup his face shortly before the two reluctantly split.

Sure, they had kissed before, dozens of times. Hell they have had sex together too many times to count but there was something different from that. There was this heat in that kiss that had never existed when they were breeding partners. After they parted Embry's eyes remained closed for just a moment, savoring everything, the feel of his lips against hers, the taste of his kiss. Finally Alec saw her open his eyes and he smiled at her, resting his forehead against hers. They were quiet for a moment, neither one of them sure what to say after that. "Come to bed with me," Alec whispered. After a moment he stood and looked down at her, offering her his hand. Ever since Alec got the place they had their sleeping arrangements settled. Embry slept on the couch and Alec in the bedroom and never shall they both sleep in either room together. It was agreed upon because of the nature of their relationship. Now he was breaking that, leading her into his bedroom.

Leading her? Yes, she had taken his hand and rose to her feet, following behind him. Alec closed the door behind him and turned to look at Embry. The way the moon shown through the window and hit her pale skin made her look almost like an angel. Alec took a few steps to close the gap between them. He ran his fingers through her hair before pulling her forward into another heated kiss, this time it was more hungry than tender. Embry's fists clenched around the shirt he was wearing, pulling him to her as Alec's hands fell to her side, resting on her hips. He could feel his heart rate increase just a little and the temperature in the room skyrocketed. Alec pulled the tank top over her head. She had obviously changed her clothes when she got home as she no longer looked like Max. Embry reciprocated by pulling Alec's shirt over his head and throwing it behind him. Alec's lips traveled down her neck, nipping at her skin every once in a while. They traversed her shoulder and along her collarbone before returning to her lips once more. Alec's arms wrapped around Embry and he gently massaged the skin on her back as he held her close. Embry took a few steps back as he leaned forward and they slowly worked their way back to the bed, which Embry eventually fell back on, bringing Alec down on top of her. His lips traveled down her neck, the center of her chest and over her abdomen then returned to her lips. For once his heart was racing beneath his chest. He looked down at Embry and smiled at her. What was happening? This was different from every other time. Why?


End file.
